C9, PT. 1

As they descended to the lobby, she was startled by how many times the elevator stopped to pick up other residents. Apparently, the whole building was trying to get somewhere for dinner. Roth stepped into a corner, and she scooted in front of him. Mr. Pearson, one of her father’s business partners, guffawed over something his wife said, but the moment he caught sight of her and Roth, his smile vanished. He didn’t advance into the elevator, but stood directly in front of the doors with his wife. When they reached the lobby, Mrs. Pearson shot her an unreadable glance before she followed in her husband’s wake. She glanced up at Roth to see how he’d taken that little exchange, but he looked as unruffled as ever.

 A parade of luxury cars lined up in front of the building. Mo was behind the wheel of a Bentley. She gripped Roth’s arm to get his attention.

“Can we walk?” When he stared at her, she said, “It’s just a block.” And she could use a few minutes to get her thoughts together before facing her family.

He walked over to Johan, who was waiting to open the back door. Johan’s brows shot up before his face smoothed into professional impassivity. He accepted both packages Roth handed him and ducked down to speak to Mo before he followed.

Roth offered his hand. Their eyes met briefly before she took it. As they made their way toward Park Avenue, she glanced back and was surprised to see Mo pacing alongside Johan. They each held one of the bags filled with presents as the Bentley turned the corner with another driver behind the wheel.

The sidewalks were teeming with people, but Roth didn’t weave through the crowd. He glided forward, and people naturally sidestepped to make way for him. Although everyone was bundled up against the chilly night, she caught glimpses of this season’s fashion trends. As they passed a newsstand, she scanned the papers and magazines and did a double take when she spotted some familiar faces on the cover of Business Weekly. She looked up, intending to tap Roth to get a better look, but a glance at his intense scrutiny of the crowd made her forget about the magazine cover.

For the first time, she registered that his hold on her was a little tighter than it should be for a casual stroll. Roth was acting like a bodyguard instead of the client. Dad had security, but it had been casual compared to Roth’s rigorous surveillance. She managed to fool her previous security team to sneak away to Colorado, but Mo and Johan never relaxed their guard… much like their boss. It was like they were on alert for an active threat.

“Are you armed?” she asked as they turned right onto E 56th Street.

“Yes.”

She missed a step, forcing him to pause, so she could get her footing. “I didn’t see you strap on anything.”

He guided her hand to a five o’clock spot on his hip and let her feel the bulge there. “There’s a safe in the closet, behind my shoes. I have an ankle holster too.”

“Are you always this prepared, or did you feel the need to arm up because we’re going to Colette’s?” She tried to make a joke of it, but she was disconcerted by the fact that he had more than one weapon on him for a family dinner. She hadn’t been raised around guns, and knowing he had one on him made her anxious. But she witnessed Kaia handling a rifle with the same ease most women would a broom. Being armed was second nature to Roth and his mother, but this was New York City, where the gun laws were very different from rural America. “Are you armed when you go into the office?”

“Yes.”

She pulled him to a stop. “Yes, you’re armed when you go to the office or yes, you felt it was necessary to bring a weapon to my sister’s?”

He searched her eyes before he said, “I told you I’m always armed in one way or another, so yes to both.”

Mo and Johan stopped several feet away to give them privacy.

“In Lisbon, you said Lyle and my father weren’t the only ones who have threatened you. Are you in danger?”

“Anyone with wealth and power is a target. You know that.”

She squeezed his hand. “You aren’t answering my question.”

He slipped his arm over her shoulders and ushered her forward.

“There are threats,” he confirmed. “I don’t take chances.”

“Did Mo and Johan shadow you at work?”

He glanced down at her with a distracted frown. “No, they’re at your disposal in case you want to go somewhere. Why?”

“Don’t you need them more than I do?”

He tucked her close as they paused at a crosswalk. “I have a separate team that I use, and we’re assembling a second team for you as well.”

“What? Why? I hardly go out.”

“Mo and Johan will be your primary guards, but we may need more men for events or when we travel. I’ll show you the guns I have in the penthouse, so you’re familiar with them, and we’ll find time to go shooting.”

This was the second time he suggested she should learn how to handle a gun. She gave him an arch look as they crossed Madison Avenue. “Do you think that’s wise?”

“What?”

“Teaching me how to use a gun and giving me access to a cache of weapons? You piss me off a lot.”

His eyes gleamed. “Guns aren’t my only expertise.”

Before she could question what he meant by that, the doormen of Hennessy Tower spotted her. Smiles broke across their faces, but those expressions shifted once they spotted Roth.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” she said, and got nods of acknowledgment, but the men stared straight ahead as they passed through the revolving doors.

The main attraction in the lobby was a gigantic Christmas tree that towered three stories high. The people seated at the base were the same size as the glossy gifts stacked beneath the lowest branches. She and Roth walked beneath suspended ornaments and twinkling lights to the bank of elevators. She looked up to see Roth’s reaction and felt her happiness stall when she saw him taking in the festive surroundings pensively. Hennessy Tower, a staple of the New York skyline, was one of her family’s strongholds, and he now owned a sizable piece. The magnitude of their deal hit her full force, making her stomach dip. This is what he vowed to tear down for five years, and had now sworn to restore. How did he not resent her for it? Or was he pragmatic enough to see the benefits he gained from allying himself with her family were greater than satisfying his need for revenge?

He looked down and frowned. “What’s wrong?”

The elevator doors opened before she could think of a lie. She stepped forward and beamed when she saw who the operator was.

“Terry!” She gave the old man a hug. “Why are you working on a holiday? Don’t you have seniority over everyone else?”

He patted her on the back. “One of the young ones just had a baby so I volunteered to cover for him. Are you going to Mrs. Caruso’s floor?”

“Yes.”

He swiped his badge and selected the appropriate floor. “Your father would be happy to know his daughters are celebrating…” He finally noticed Roth. His eyes flared before he faced forward without finishing his sentence.

Apparently, the staff kept up on current events and either remembered Roth from their infamous rift or read in the papers that he married into the family and was now intimately involved with Hennessy & Co.

Luckily, the ride lasted only fifteen seconds. As the doors opened onto Colette and Lyle’s gold foyer, she squeezed his arm.

“It’s nice to see you, Terry.”

He inclined his head and stepped aside so they could exit. Mo and Johan handed over the bags of presents before the doors closed, taking her guards back to the lobby. Roth took in the painted ceiling, mini waterfall, and koi pond in silence. She had no idea what he was thinking, being in her family’s inner sanctum. It was one thing to do business in an office setting. Sitting across from one another at a dinner table was something else entirely.

“Are you sure you want to…?” she began, but he didn’t let her finish. He placed his hand on the small of her back and ushered her forward.

The sound of running water disguised their arrival, so when they rounded the corner into the grand living room, her family was unaware. Like her arrival two months ago, they lounged in front of the gold fireplace, giving Jasmine time to take in the fact that Lyle and Colette’s elegant home was nearly unrecognizable. Ariana hadn’t been lying when she said Colette was trying to make this holiday extra special for Polara. There were life-sized ballerinas flanking a nutcracker themed Christmas tree with blush and silver ornaments. A garland made of pink and white candy canes, gingerbread men, and fairies decorated the mantel. It looked like a pastel Christmas wonderland. Her nephew rode a rocking horse with his hand in the air as if it was bucking, while Bailey tried to imitate the stance of the ballerinas and was the first one to notice them.

“Aunty Minnie!”

Bailey streaked toward her, dressed in a purple velvet dress and tights, with a bow in her hair. Jasmine dropped the package so she could catch her niece, who she knew from experience packed quite the punch for someone so small. Even though she braced for impact, she staggered when she caught her niece. Roth steadied her as Bailey let out a hair-raising shriek and strangled her with childish exuberance. She heard a cry and looked down to see her nephew Kye holding his arms up, demanding to be held. She tried to reach for him, but her arms were full of Bailey, who was in danger of kicking her brother in the head. Kye let out an angry cry and moved to the next adult. Kye tapped Roth’s thighs and jumped like he was trying to catch a ride. Roth edged back as if the toddler were dangerous.

“Kye!”

Ariana scooped up her son and put the little boy on her hip. Kye tipped backward in protest. Ariana ignored her son’s tantrum and gave Roth an uncertain smile.

“Happy Thanksgiving.”

Roth uttered the pleasantry in return as Bailey calmed enough for Jasmine to set her down.

“Presents?” Bailey squealed when she spotted the gifts in the package.

“I brought you goodies from our trip. After dinner, you can open them.”

“Hooray!” Bailey shouted and threw herself at Roth, giving his waist a squeeze and a hurried “Happy Thanksgiving,” before she dashed off.

One look at Roth’s unnerved expression was enough to made her dissolve into uncontrollable laughter. The big, bad wolf who carried guns and who didn’t hesitate to go head-to-head with the powerful elite feared children. She took pity on him and slipped her arm around his waist.

“They don’t bite,” she teased.

He pinched her ass in retaliation. Still giggling, she turned to her sister, who was watching their interaction closely.

“Hi, Ari.”

Immediately, her sister’s beautiful face cleared. “I’m glad you two made it back in time for the holidays.”

Rami came up beside his wife and took his thrashing son from Ariana. Kye took after his father with his dark coloring, hair, and eyes, while Bailey was fair with her mother’s signature blue eyes, but her father’s dark hair. She could already tell both children would be tall like their parents. She grinned when she noticed Rami and Kye wore matching sweater vests.

“Roth,” Rami said, coming forward to shake his hand before turning to Jasmine. “Welcome home.”

She kissed Rami’s cheek and started when Kye grasped her face with surprising force and demanded kisses of his own. She obliged with loud smacking kisses that made Kye screech. Ariana tried to tell her son that it wasn’t polite to demand kisses, but her lecture was ruined by her broad smile.

As Jasmine handed her coat to the housekeeper, she tossed Roth an arch look. In Lisbon, he said he didn’t want any males touching her. At the time, he said that included relatives. She silently dared him to make an issue of it in front of her family.

He held her gaze as he slipped off his coat, but kept his jacket on to conceal the gun in his waistband. He pulled her close and dipped his head to say, “In this instance, I’ll make an exception.”

She snorted.

“Minnie.”

She turned her head as Lyle approached. In the grand scheme of things, she still wasn’t happy with his words and behavior in Lisbon, but the kid's joy was infectious and made it hard to hold a grudge.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” she said and gave him a hug.

“Roth, glad you could make it,” Lyle said and extended his hand.

Clearly, her family had been expecting Roth and had collectively decided to handle this in a civilized manner. As always, Roth was right to brazen this out and face her family head on.

Colette waved from the couch, where she cradled a small bundle. Jasmine rushed over to get a look at Polara, who was fast asleep. The small newborn was no more. Polara’s cheeks were rosy and full with one chubby fist gripping Colette’s finger. Jasmine had to clap her hand over her mouth to stop herself from shrieking like Bailey. Polara was dressed in a cream-colored lace and tulle dress with a matching headband.

“She’s gorgeous,” Jasmine whispered.

“And she’s the most well-behaved baby in the world,” Colette said proudly.

“Wait until you have two.” Ariana’s eyes followed her children, who chased one another around the room and narrowly missed knocking over one of the ballerina statues.

“I’m not planning on having more.”

Ariana looked at Colette with raised brows. “You think Lyle will be satisfied with one? He’s always wanted a big family.”

Colette gave her a flat stare. “It’s not up to him, is it?”

“Does your marriage contract mention how many children?”

Jasmine stiffened.

“I don’t think so. I think it just mentions an heir. I was lucky to get pregnant naturally at my age. I’m forty, not twenty.” Colette glanced at Lyle, who was talking to Roth and Rami in a loose circle. “Maybe I should review the contract.”

“You should definitely look into it.” Ariana turned to Jasmine and gave her a once over. “You look great. It seems your honeymoon did you both good.”

As they went through the expected pleasantries, Jasmine was very aware of the fact that she had hugged or kissed everyone but her sisters. They had never been affectionate, but she assumed their frequent communication over the past weeks would break through that wall of reserve. Apparently not. Her sisters were still playing the part of formal hostesses, making polite, inane conversation instead of voicing the questions swimming in their eyes.

She took in Ariana’s skirt suit with black tights and pumps and Colette’s black culottes and loose sweater. Their roles had switched.

Determined to interrupt their routine, she asked, “Did you go into the office?”

Ariana looked taken aback by the abrupt question, but she recovered quickly. “Yes, I went in for a few hours.”

Colette’s brows came together. “A few hours? I thought you just had to double-check something.”

“One thing led to another. You know how it is.” When Colette continued to stare at her, Ariana waved her hand. “It’s nothing. Everything’s under control.”

During the awkward pause, she took the opportunity to examine her sister. Ariana’s glacial blue eyes were clear and alert and showed no sign that she was under the influence of any drug. Her sister looked competent and polished, which was a relief considering what she read in her file. She wanted to believe the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. Seeing Ariana looking healthy and normal went a long way to putting her mind at ease, and reassured her that she could put off the intervention for another time.

Determined to keep the conversation informal and candid, she asked Colette, “How are you settling into mommy life?”

Colette reluctantly took her eyes off of Ariana and focused on Jasmine. It was clear that she wanted to question her sister about work, but knew this wasn’t the time or place.

“It’s been good,” Colette said. “Believe it or not, I actually have a lot of spare time so I decided to tackle Dad’s apartments.”

As one, they all looked up. The top two floors of the building were Maximus primary residence before he retired to Tuxedo Park.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“I’m not sure yet. So far, I’ve just been sorting through things and reading about his first business deals.” Colette shot a furtive look at her husband before she said in low undertones, “I’d rather put my time to better use. If Lyle gets his way, I’ll be out of the office for six months.”

If Jasmine hadn’t been watching so closely, she would have missed Ariana’s agitated finger flicking at her side.

“Six months?”

Colette was too focused on Lyle to take notice of Ariana’s nervous tone. “He’s worried about my health, but I’ve been sleeping, eating right, exercising. Taking off that much time from work is unnecessary, don’t you think?”

Jasmine and Ariana exchanged looks, but neither answered.

“And I can cut back on my hours. Or take Polara into the office like Dad did with us.”

“You don’t have to make any decisions about that now,” Jasmine said and asked, “Have you had visitors come by to see Polara? Your mom, Estelle, has she dropped by? This is her first grandchild, right?”

Colette’s face went blank. “Yes, it’s her first grandchild and no, she hasn’t dropped by.” She brushed her finger over Polara’s cheek as she said, “I left a message letting her know I gave birth. She didn’t return my call, but she sent diamond earrings, a piece of art, and a piggy bank.”

From Ariana’s startled expression, this was news even to her.

“Diamond earrings? Are they an heirloom?”

“No.”

She raised her brows at Colette’s curt tone. “And what’s this piece of art?”

“Apparently, it’s by some famous artist.” Colette gave them a strange look before she said, “It’s a balloon dog sculpture.”

Jasmine pursed her lips and struggled to keep a straight face as she asked, “Where is it? I think it would blend in great with the rest of your decor.”

Colette glowered. “And the piggy bank weighs a ton. It’s made of gold and encrusted with Swarovski crystals and diamonds.”

“Subtle,” she commented, which made Ariana snicker.

“At least she acknowledged Polara.” Ariana crossed her arms over her chest. “My mom’s met Kye and Bailey twice. She invited the paparazzi to document the ten-minute meetup to prove what a great-grandmother she is. She lies to the press and says she talks to them every day.”

She knew her sisters didn’t have great relationships with their mothers, who gave Maximus sole custody, but she had never heard them criticize their absent mothers until now.

“I always wondered if you spent holidays with your mother’s side?” Jasmine ventured.

Colette and Ariana stared at her with identical affronted expressions.

“My family rarely leaves Los Angeles,” Ariana said tightly. “The only time they travel to the East Coast is if they’re doing press for a movie or here for Fashion Week or the Met Gala.”

“What are your half sisters up to now?”

“One of my sisters is the new Bond girl,” Ariana said in a flat monotone. “My mom is on set everyday looking for lucky husband number six.”

“And you, Colette?” she asked with mock casualness. “What do you normally do for the holidays?”

“Nothing with my mother’s side. Lyle’s family is close, but most of them are still in Italy. We usually go there for Christmas or New Years. I’m hoping they’ll come here this year.”

Jasmine straightened. “I didn’t get a good look, but I swear I saw your grandfather, Cecil, and your brother, Lawrence, on the cover of Business Weekly.”

Colette smoothed out the wrinkles on Polara’s clothes. “There are rumors that my grandfather is going to name Lawrence as CEO. It hasn’t been formally announced.”

Ariana jerked. “Have you talked to Estelle?”

“I haven’t spoken to my mother since the funeral,” Colette said quietly. “She won’t return my calls. I assume that means the rumors are true.”

“But, Estelle left you with Dad so he could prepare you to run Cecil’s company! My mom left me because she thought it would be harder to find another man with a kid around. What does Lawrence know about running a corporation? Isn’t he, like, twelve?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“Same thing!”

Colette’s mouth quirked into a half smile as she gave a one shoulder shrug. “The last time I talked to my grandfather, he questioned my competency, considering the state of Hennessy & Co.”

Ariana’s hands balled into fists. “If it wasn’t for him, none of this would have happened! He said those deals were bulletproof. You would never have taken such risks if it wasn’t based for his recommendation!”

Jasmine straightened. “Your grandfather gave bad business advice?”

Colette flushed. “I know he and Dad didn’t get along, but I had no idea how deep their rivalry went. It took me too long to figure out he was trying to cripple Hennessy & Co. By the time I realized he was leading me astray, we lost millions.”

“If Colette hadn’t caught on so quickly and stopped the bleeding, we wouldn’t have been able to salvage anything from those failed deals.” Ariana crossed her arms over her chest and tapped the toe of her shoe aggressively. “We had our reservations, but Cecil said Colette was being too conservative and playing it safe. Dad seconded that, though he didn’t know Cecil was giving her advice.”

“What did Dad say about all this?” Jasmine asked.

“Nothing.” Colette fingered her signature strand of pearls. Tonight’s was a soft pink to match the ornaments on the tree. “I’m sure he knew what my grandfather was trying to do, but he didn’t stop me. I think he wanted to see how I would handle the fall-out.” Colette cleared her throat. “But he brought up my poor judgment in the letter he left me.”

Jasmine’s pulse quickened. All three of them received letters with final warnings and advice about life from Maximus. What had Dad included in her letter besides his warning to stay away from Roth?

“You did the best you could,” Ariana said fiercely. “Why wouldn’t you trust your grandfather? You didn’t lose the company, which is why he’s mad enough to make Lawrence CEO. You deserve to be on the board of Cecil’s company based on your tenacity alone. Most would have given up by now. You earned your spot and are the only one with legitimate experience. Cecil and your mother know that.”

“Aunty?”

Bailey wrapped herself around Jasmine’s leg like a koala and eyed balled the package of gifts with wistful longing. Jasmine grinned and ran her fingers through Bailey’s silky hair.

“Do you want to help me put the presents under the tree?”

Bailey threw her hands in the air before she took off running. Jasmine slipped away from her sister’s heated discussion and knelt by the tree as the kids shook the crap out of each present and tried to guess what each one contained. While Bailey tried to explain to Kye that a cloud couldn’t fit into a box, she admired the Christmas tree decorated with miniature pink nutcrackers, pastel pointe shoes, sweets, and tiaras.

She leaned back on her hands and knocked her boots together. So there was an explanation for Colette’s bad business decisions. Her grandfather sabotaged her. What was wrong with the men in their family that they were constantly manipulating and testing their daughters and granddaughters? Was it because they were female that they doubted they had what it took to run these corporations, or would they treat male heirs the same? It was bad enough that they had to battle outside forces. Little did they know, their worst enemies were their own blood.

She glanced over her shoulder to check on Roth, who was holding his own with her brothers-in-law. Rami and Lyle were listening intently to whatever he was saying. Why hadn’t Cecil’s involvement been mentioned in Colette’s file? Or, did Roth dismiss the reason for her catastrophic mistake and focused only on the result? She understood that way of thinking to some extent, but if you couldn’t trust your grandfather, who could you trust?

When the housekeeper announced dinner would be ready in five minutes, Colette left to put Polara in the nursery. Ariana rounded up her kids to wash up. Lyle excused himself to take a call, which left Rami to escort her and Roth to the formal dining room.

“The kids have been asking about you for weeks,” Rami said, giving her shoulder a fond squeeze.

“I enjoyed our travels, but I’m glad to be back.”

“And planning to stay put for a while?”

“I think so.”

Rami pulled back and gave her an uncertain smile. “What is it? Is there something on my face?”

She let out a strained laugh and looked away to hide her troubled thoughts, which she wasn’t doing a good job of concealing. “Ignore me. I’m jet lag and still haven’t caught up on sleep yet.”

“Daddy!” Bailey hollered the moment she entered the room and beelined it to him.

Rami made a show of staggering back when she launched herself at his legs and cupped his daughter’s cheeks as he listened with rapt attention to her exhilarated babble. It was clear Bailey had her father wrapped around her finger. If Jasmine hadn’t read the detailed report for herself, never in a million years would she be convinced that her soft-spoken brother-in-law was capable of using such brutal tactics to get his way. Had he changed once he married Ariana and had children, or was that part of him lying dormant, waiting to reemerge if necessary?

Feeling disillusioned and world-weary, she wandered over to Roth, who stood before the food table, laden with traditional Thanksgiving dishes. How the hell did he do this? Make small talk and do business with people who were capable of such dark deeds? One wrong move and his life could be forfeit. How could he trust them? His security measures made sense. So did his need to be armed. He was right to be suspicious and investigate potential partners so he wouldn’t be blindsided… Oh, shit. She really was starting to think like her husband.

She resisted the urge to lean into him for reassurance and to absorb his strength. He was so sure of himself, so calm despite the very real danger and risks involved. Was there no one who made their way into the upper echelon through sheer hard work and dedication? Had everyone sold a piece of their soul to reach success?

She thrust her worries into the dark recesses of her mind. She couldn’t allow the past to mar the light and festive mood. Tonight, all was well. No one was being nasty or hostile. They were all putting forth the effort to get along and make each other feel welcome. Rami’s past could wait until… Until what? An actual threat materialized?

She sighed and took in the table, which was beautifully set with foliage and candles, before she looked up and saw that he had an odd look on his face. “Roth?”

“It looks like the commercials.”

“What does?”

He gestured to the artfully displayed food. “I’ve seen dinners like this in movies and commercials, but never in real life.”

“What are you talking about?”

He finally took his eyes from the spread and looked at her. “I’ve never had Thanksgiving. This is exactly how I imagined it would be.”

Her chest locked.

“Min.”

Everyone had taken their seats. Lyle sat at the head of the table, with Bailey occupying the opposite end. She took her usual spot beside her niece, which made Roth take the seat next to Rami. As Lyle said a brief prayer filled with heartfelt gratitude for his daughter and the fact that they could gather for the occasion, she peeked at Roth. She was stunned to see his eyes were closed, and his head was bent. When he squeezed her hand, she jumped. How did he…?

“Aunty, your eyes should be closed,” Bailey whispered loudly.

Everyone laughed as Lyle finished his prayer. Her sisters gave her mock scoldings, which made the kids cackle. When everyone migrated to the food to make their plates, she turned to Roth with narrowed eyes.

“How did you know?”

“I always know when you’re looking at me.”

“Wine, ma’am?”

She accepted a glass of Pinot Noir from a hovering server as Roth made his way over to the food. He never attended Thanksgiving ever? To be fair, if it wasn’t for Thea, she wouldn’t have celebrated many holidays either. But, there were always friends, neighbors, or classmates who extended invitations. Normally, churches, community centers, and other organizations held gatherings or handed out meals for the holiday. So, why hadn’t his family participated? She felt a flash of unreasonable anger toward Kaia. Why had they lived so remotely that Roth was denied the chance to interact and bond with the rest of the community? Why deprive her son of such wholesome experiences?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Roth, who set his plate on the table with a definite thud. Although every inch of his plate was covered in tiny mounds of food, they were contained in tiny piles that didn’t touch each other.

“You got a little bit of everything?” she asked.

He nodded, face grave, but his eyes were eager. “Do you want me to…?” He gestured behind him to the food table.

His offer to make her a plate had her rising swiftly. “No, thank you. I got it.” She had a feeling he had no idea what normal food portions were.

This dinner was a complete turnaround from the last one she attended. The mood was lighthearted and carefree. She found herself thinking that this was the type of family get togethers she desperately wanted as a child and never got until Maximus passed. It was surreal having Roth chatting amicably with her family. It was like the incident at Tuxedo Park with Thea never happened.

The conversation, while it touched on business, didn’t revolve around that singular topic. That was mostly due to Lyle, who seemed to be going out of his way to keep the conversation varied and entertaining. Roth didn’t talk unless he was specifically addressed, which her brothers-in-law seemed to be doing to make him feel included.

At some point, she caught the long, intimate looks passing between Colette and Lyle. Her sister reached out to touch her husband's arm not because she needed something, but because she wanted contact. She caught Ariana’s eye and widened her own before jerking her head at Colette, who was positively radiant. Ariana smiled, clearly happy for the couple, who had undergone a drastic transformation since their daughter was born. The ice queen had vanished. Lyle was an ass in Lisbon, but now he looked more like himself. No. Actually, the fierce scowl he sported far too often and that chip on his shoulder was missing. He looked well-rested, a man truly content with his lot in life. It seemed Roth’s attendance reassured him there was more to their marriage than he suspected, so he let down his guard and was enjoying the moment. As their eyes met, she grinned at Lyle and got a wink in return. He was letting her know that everything was going to be all right. She wanted to believe him, but… What had he done that was so terrible that Roth wouldn’t tell her?

She looked down at her plate and made a concentrated effort to banish the thought before her fertile mind could supply her with vile ideas. She glanced at Roth to see if he caught the silent communication between her and Lyle. The fact that he considered there may be something romantic between them still mortified and pissed her off, but… Roth’s appalled expression made her follow his gaze to Kye, who had dumped mashed potatoes and gravy down his bib. Ariana didn’t seem perturbed by the mess her son was making. Roth was transfixed and clearly concerned as Kye gaily stuffed his face with turkey. She bit back a laugh and turned to Bailey, who wanted to tell her about her new best friends, Fallon and Coleman.

When Roth went back to the food table for thirds, he received some good-natured ribbing from the guys, while her sisters grinned. By the time dessert rolled around, Kye was nearly comatose. Roth gave Ariana a warning that gave her sister time to catch the toddler before he fell off his chair.

Roth’s eyes were never idle. They moved constantly from her family to the discreet staff who refilled the food table and their glasses. She had no idea what he was thinking. The contrast between the Caruso’s opulent home and the humble A-frame he grew up in couldn’t be more different, but he showed no sign of discomfort or uncertainty. His confidence had been unshakable right from the start. Was it because he saw himself as the predator? Did he see her family as the enemy? Allies? Pawns? Did he examine her family so closely because he was beginning to see them as individuals, or would his opinion be forever tainted by their pasts?

When Bailey began to speak French, Roth’s head whipped around. Apparently, the fact that her niece and nephew could speak different languages hadn’t been included in his report. Bailey saw him watching and basked in the attention, since he had patently ignored her until that point. To show her niece off a little and to test her fluency and vocabulary, they talked for a few minutes before she switched to German. Bailey followed without missing a beat, but two minutes later, her niece took the initiative and switched to Hindi. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Ariana with bug eyes, which made her sister laugh.

“She’s going to have one up on us.”

“More than one,” Ariana said ruefully. “I’ve been trying to learn. I don’t know if it’s because I’m too old, or it’s so different from the other languages I know, but I’ve been struggling so much with it. Even Kye has a better grasp of the language than I do.” Ariana gave her daughter a stern look. “That’s the language they use around me when they’re trying to get something past me.”

Bailey batted her eyelashes at her mother before she switched back to French to tell Jasmine about a tutor who used to live on a sailboat. She listened as she ate pumpkin cannolis and truffles while she sipped piping hot coffee. Bailey and Kye chose cupcakes decorated as turkeys. Like he had with dinner, Roth selected one of each dessert. She thought he would take a bite of each, but he ended up eating every single one and even got a second slice of pumpkin pie. Lyle and Rami didn’t tease him this time. They were simply impressed by how much he could eat and started to ask him about his workout routine.

Unlike her brother, Bailey was wide awake and hadn’t forgotten the presents waiting beneath the tree. The moment the plates were cleared away, Bailey declared it was time to open presents. This revived Kye, who had to be cleaned up before he joined his sister by the tree.

As everyone settled around the fireplace, she had the kids hand out presents to the adults before they could open their gifts. The kids giggled hysterically over the gnomes with long beards and hats pulled so low, the brim rested on their protruding noses. Ariana and Colette immediately dipped into the fudge and examined the cherry liquor and dessert wine she picked up in Portugal for them. Rami and Lyle tried on the leather shoes and gloves Johnny helped her pick out in downtown Lisbon. Everyone admired the prints she bought from Johnny of his beloved Portugal. She was pleased when her sisters began to argue about which prints they wanted.

Colette got emotional as she began to sort through Polara’s gifts—the outfits she picked up in London, the Yule heart ornament with the year hand-painted on it, the knit blanket, and other knickknacks she suspected her sister wouldn’t have appreciated before having her baby. Colette gave her a watery smile as Bailey squealed over the snow globe of Frederiksborg Castle and Kye began flipping through the illustrated books she got him.

When there was a muted cry, Colette leapt up and hurried down the hallway to tend to Polara. Bailey showed the snow globe to her mother and vigorously shook it to activate the glitter and snow.

“It’s lovely.” Ariana gave Bailey a stern look. “You have to be careful with it. Can you do that?”

Bailey cradled it to her chest. “I’ll be so careful.”

“Thank your aunty.”

Bailey flew around the gold coffee table. Jasmine laughed as her niece launched herself at her.

“I’m going to love it forever and ever!” Bailey declared fervently.

“You take care of it, I’ll get you more,” she said and winced at the shrill shriek Bailey released.

She glanced at Roth, who sat beside her. He was clearly nonplussed by Bailey’s over the top enthusiasm. Feeling a little wicked, she whispered in Bailey’s ear. “You have to thank uncle as well for the gifts. He’s the one who took me to Denmark.”

Bailey didn’t disappoint. She threw herself at Roth, who wasn’t prepared for the attack and visibly stiffened when Bailey threw her arms around his neck.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Bailey chanted before she plopped between them.

Roth sat as still as a statue, staring straight ahead, as Bailey looked up at Jasmine with an angelic smile and asked her to make up a story about the castle in the snow globe. As she raked her mind for something fantastical, she saw Ariana watching them with a worried frown. She gave her sister a reassuring smile that eased the strain on Ariana’s face before she was distracted by Kye, who was toting around one of the cherry liquor bottles.

Colette came back into the room with Polara as she finished a tale of magic, hope, and heartache. Her niece was transfixed and even had tears in her eyes that Jasmine brushed away.

“It’s just a story, baby. You can make up your own, a happier one,” she said and inwardly chastised herself. She had been writing about grim, dark reality for so long that even her fairy tales had turned bleak. Did she even know how to write anything with a happy ending anymore?

Bailey sniffled and looked up as Colette stopped in front of them.

“What’s wrong?” Colette asked.

“I didn’t do a good job with the happily ever after,” she said with a grimace, and held her arms out for the baby.

Colette gave Bailey a sympathetic look before she handed Polara over. As Jasmine settled the baby in her arms, she saw Colette staring at Roth. Jasmine followed her gaze and saw that Roth was actually leaning over the arm of the chair to put space between him and Bailey, who was oblivious to his discomfort.

“Come, Bailey, let’s give aunty and uncle some room,” Colette said and held out her hand for her niece.

Bailey gave Jasmine a forlorn look that tugged at her heartstrings. “I’ll think of another story. Something happier,” she promised her niece.

Bailey hopped off the couch and stroked the snow globe like she would her doll’s hair before she went to her pile of gifts and lined them up against the couch.

Jasmine sighed before she focused on the perfect bundle in her arms. Polara’s blue eyes were open and moving all over the room.

“Hi, baby,” she cooed and dipped her face to brush her nose against Polara’s.

 The smell of innocence wreathed her senses, making her lightheaded with delight. Babies had a way of making all her adult problems seem so inconsequential. Either she had to visit Colette and Lyle several times a week to get her fix, or she had to find a way to get into the maternity ward at the hospital. Was cuddling babies a job? If so, she may change professions. She could sit for hours, taking in every tiny movement, and not feel the need to do anything else. Polara would age so fast. She knew that from watching Bailey and Kye grow. Every minute was precious.

She took in the baby’s miniature, yet perfect features. Polara Maxine. She had no doubt this tiny bundle would grow up to be a dynamo. Lyle and Colette were the quintessential power couple. Polara had generations of wealth and success imbedded in her DNA. She had no doubt Polara would follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a force to be reckoned with.

Her gaze flicked to Bailey, who was trying to pirouette near the ballerina statues. Bailey, on the other hand, may end up being an actress or something in the arts. She suspected Rami and Ariana would be a little more lenient, allowing their daughter to choose her own path.

She lifted Polara out of the way a second before Kye collided against her to get a look at his cousin.

“Gentle,” she cautioned.

Kye stared at Polara for less than five seconds before his attention wandered to Roth. The toddler eyed him curiously. That was understandable, since Roth was a stranger and the opposite of his father in almost every way. Instead of being afraid, the little boy seemed fascinated. Roth ignored the toddler who propped his little arms on his knees. When that failed to get a reaction from Roth, Kye tried to heave himself onto his lap.

“Kye!”

Ariana dashed forward and picked up her son. “I’m sorry,” she apologized to Roth, who waved his hand to indicate it was no big deal.

Ariana settled Kye on the couch beside her. It took less than five minutes for Kye to slither off and run into the empty dining room. Ariana sighed and went after him, while Colette chatted with the housekeeper about something.

When Kye came ran back into the room, he went to his father. Without pausing in conversation, Rami lifted his son onto his lap. For a few minutes, Kye seemed content. He listened to the men talk as he played with his gnome, but it wasn’t long before he was standing on the cushions beside his father. After that, he leapt off the couch and, like a magnet, started toward Roth again.

“Kye!”

Ariana’s tone was loud enough to stop Rami and Lyle’s conversation. No one commented as Ariana redirected her son away from Roth. As they passed in front of Jasmine, she heard Ariana mutter, “What did I just say? I told you not to go near him.”

She glanced at Roth to see if he heard what Ariana said, but his attention was on Lyle, who was questioning him about Reed & Sons, the company he bought from Guy.

“I’m more interested in the land the vineyards are on than anything else,” Roth said, giving Lyle the same ambiguous answer he gave her weeks ago.

She shot Lyle a sharp look, which he either didn’t catch or intentionally ignored.

“What about the land?” Lyle asked with a frown as Bailey leaned against her knees to give Polara a kiss on the head that made the baby fuss. As Bailey gravitated to the spot between her and Roth and started to climb onto the couch, Ariana’s sharp tone once again stopped all conversation.

“Bailey!”

Bailey turned to look at her mother, who beckoned with a severe expression. Bailey shot an uncertain look at her dad before she hesitantly approached her mother, who leaned down and whispered in her ear. The little girl shot a troubled look at Jasmine before she took her mother’s hand, who led her offspring down the hallway, out of sight.

“Let me take Polara. She needs to be fed,” Colette said into the awkward silence.

Jasmine surrendered the baby and watched Colette follow in Ariana’s wake.

“Have you spoken to Johnny since you left Lisbon?” Lyle asked her.

 “Yes, today. They’re doing well,” she said distractedly. “Roth offered to let him and Aleixo use the jet so he can visit.”

Lyle gave Roth a considering look. “Generous of you.”

“He’s a friend of Jasmine’s.”

“And yours,” she corrected Roth before she climbed to her feet. “Excuse me for a second.”

She headed down the hallway and paused a foot from the open doorway of Polara’s nursery.

“I’m trying for her sake, Colette, but he’s just sitting there watching us like… I don’t know. He gives me the creeps. Dad’s turning in his grave, knowing we’re having dinner with him. There’s no doubt that he’s a brilliant businessman and invaluable ally. Now that he’s a majority shareholder, we have to play nice with him, but I draw the line at risking my kids’ lives to keep our positions at Hennessy & Co.”

“Ari,” Colette said in a repressive tone.

“Did you see the way he stares at them? It’s chilling. He acts like he’s never seen a child before. I don’t want my kids anywhere near him. Can you imagine if he lost it the way he did with Thea? I swear to God, I wouldn’t hesitate to…”

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Confessions. Please do not share or distribute.

Copyright © 2024 Mia Knight. All Rights Reserved.